


keeping up appearances

by Xorxos Brook (cdra)



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cheating, F/M, Possessive Behavior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-05-23
Packaged: 2018-06-08 00:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6831352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cdra/pseuds/Xorxos%20Brook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She does <i>not</i> belong to that disgusting rat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	keeping up appearances

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently in one of the early drafts of Pandora Hearts, Sharon and Vincent were going to have to get married for political reasons. Xerxes would never be cool with that. Ever. B)

He _knows_ it’s just a matter of appearances, but that doesn’t change how he _loathes_ the way Vincent touches her.  Even though it’s terribly chaste (gentle leading by hands, light draping along waists) it’s still disgusting to Xerxes’s very core; the very sight of such things makes him gag.  And yet until the night is over he must stand, quiet and attentive, follow on her heels but not stop him, not touch her **─** and every moment of it makes him remind himself that he cannot glower at her _husband_ (thinking of him as _that_ makes him shudder) openly, for her sake and his alike.

But he’s on the verge of insanity tonight **─** they’ve been dancing, the rat is putting on a special show of care (in an effort to clear the rumors whispered through the air, Xerxes is sure) toward his wife (she does not belong to him, she will _NEVER_ belong to him) and it’s about to drive him utterly mad.

They are alone for a moment on the balcony, Vincent entertaining some other important figure (good, let him be distracted) and Xerxes suddenly takes her wrist, pulling her into a corridor (he knows the place by heart, each little twist and turn and nook and cranny) as she gives a sound of surprise.  He will return her by the time anyone searches for her, he tells himself (but why should they bother if he is with her?  he can protect her from things they couldn’t even imagine).

“Where are **─** ”

“It’s just for a moment, milady.”

She seems just _barely_ hesitant (she doesn’t want to be there, either; though once she’d longed for balls and parties she would far rather be with him, and he knows that) as he hurries, dragging her into an empty room (there are so many rooms unused, and he has each one’s scheduled memorize) and silently pressing the door shut behind him.

“Break.”  His name comes as a _command_ , not a gentle call but a _forceful_ snatch of his attention.  “What is the meaning of this?”

He turns and steps toward her, hand lighting gently on her shoulder.  “My apologies **─** I couldn’t bear to watch that any longer.”

She looks away, her fingers coming together reluctantly before her; she knows what he means, but her will to keep appearances is far stronger than his.  “He’s my husband.  You know it’s how it has to be.”

His other hand takes hers, the same hand she offered _him_ to dance, and raises it to his lips to place the ghostliest of kisses on her porcelain skin. “And you know I don’t care.  I can’t stand watching him touch you...”

She surely means to protest again, but now he takes her chin with his fingers and her lips with his own; she is far too beautiful, far too pure for that man’s touches **─** the worst she should be tainted by is his _own_ touches, dirty as they may be (but they will be the _only_ thing to taint her; at least he can rest easy in that).  He rests a hand on her waist (he’ll wash _clean_ every place that _disgusting_ man touched, replace his grime with one marginally less foul) and she lets him continue (she must know how easily he’s encouraged).

They may only have a moment on a night such as this, but he will make full use of it; the world may not know, but he will know and she will know and her detestable husband will know _exactly_ who this woman _BELONGS_ to once it is over.


End file.
